Tags Kitchen

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 9-inch Pie Crust
• 1 cup- Shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
• 6 slices- Bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup- Ham, minced
• 2 Green Onions, chopped
• ½ Green Pepper, chopped
• 5 Eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup- Half and Half or Milk
• 1/8 teaspoon- grated Lemon Peel
• ½ teaspoon- Salt
• ½ teaspoon- dry Mustard

Directions:

Mix the following ingredients in a bowl: cheese, bacon, ham, green onions and green pepper.  Place in the bottom on the unbaked pie crust. In medium bowl combine eggs, half and half, lemon peel, salt, and dry mustard. Pour evenly over cheese mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Optional: For a nice cheesy crust, pull quiche out of oven and sprinkle with cheese.  Put back in over and broil until cheese is melted.

Ingredients

3 cups of Oil (Canola, Corn, Peanut or Olive Oil)

¼ cups of hot red chilies (dried & crushed)

Instructions

1. Combine oil and crushed hot chile in a heavy-bottomed pan. Starting on the lowest heat possible, bring oil temperature to 140 degrees (use a deep-fry or candy thermometer), and maintain temperature for 10 minutes.
2. Take oil off of heat and let stand until it comes down to room temperature. Let sit for at least 1 day before using. Pour into a clean, tightly sealed glass jar and refrigerate. Use within 1 month.

This is great with balsamic vinegar to dip bread into.  Works well brushing onto a chicken prior to cooking.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Lime or Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Lime or Lemon Zest
• 1 tablespoon chopped dried Basil
• 1 tablespoon dried Rosemary
• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (Don’t use giblets, neck and backbone)

Directions: Whisk all ingredients except the chicken into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces into the bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour.

If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Place the roasted chicking onto a serving platter.

Optional: Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken.   You can also use as a gravy for mashed potatoes.

Important Note: The sponge needs to rest overnight; the dough needs to rise for about eight hours.  This is not a quick pizza dough recipe, but it is well worth the time.

Yield: Makes 8 9-inch pizzas

Sponge:

1 cup lukewarm water (110°F to 115°F)

1 envelope active dry yeast, divided

1 cup all purpose flour, divided

Dough:

1 1/2 cups lukewarm (110°F to 115°F) water

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 envelope active dry yeast

6 cups (or more) all purpose flour

Olive oil

Yellow cornmeal

Sauces and toppings

Special equipment:

Pizza stone (not required)

For sponge:

Place 1 cup lukewarm water in large bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon yeast (reserve remaining yeast for dough) and 1/4 teaspoon flour over water. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture looks spongy, about 4 minutes. Add remaining flour and whisk until smooth; scrape down sides of bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge rest at room temperature in draft-free area overnight (about 12 hours; sponge will look bubbly).

For dough:

Add 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 envelope yeast, and reserved remaining yeast to sponge, then add 6 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, beating with dough hook to blend after each addition. Continue to beat until dough is smooth, comes cleanly away from sides of bowl, and is only slightly sticky to touch, scraping down bowl  occasionally, about 5 minutes.

If dough is very sticky, beat in more flour, 1/4 cupful at a time. Scrape dough onto floured surface; knead into smooth ball. Brush inside of large bowl with oil. Add dough; turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill 6 hours, kneading dough down when doubled (after 2 hours).

About 1 1/2 hours before baking, dust 2 baking sheets with flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead gently; shape into 16-inch log. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Knead each piece into smooth ball. Arrange 4 balls of dough on each sheet. Cover loosely with kitchen towels and let rise until almost doubled, 1 to 11/4 hours.

If using pizza stone, place in oven to pre heat.

Preheat oven to 500&Deg;F for 45 minutes. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough with flour. Press into 5-inch round, then gently stretch and roll out to 9-inch round.

If using pizza stone, sprinkle pizza peel or rimless baking sheet with cornmeal.

If not using pizza stone, sprinkle large baking sheet with cornmeal. Place dough round on cornmeal; brush lightly with oil. Top as desired. Slide pizza onto stone or place pizza on baking sheet into oven.

Bake pizza until sauce is bubbling and crust is crisp and brown, lifting edge of pizza to check underside, about 14 minutes.

Note: I like to have a very thin crust.  Use a rolling pin to get your dough to the desired thickness.  Also, this dough keeps fairly well in a large airtight container stored in a refrigerator.  Make sure there is room for the dough to rise in the container.

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 6 ounces uncured applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
• 2/3 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated onion
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
• 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 ounces uncured applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups finely chopped onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram

Pasta:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

For meatballs:
Place bacon in processor. Using on/off turns, grind to coarse paste. Transfer to large bowl. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.

Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

For sauce:
Puree tomatoes with juice and garlic in batches in blender until smooth.

Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp; transfer bacon to plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pot and heat over medium heat. Add half of meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, turning carefully with small metal spatula, about 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet. Add more oil to pot if needed and repeat with remaining meatballs.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add onions and crushed red pepper to pot.

Sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by half, stirring up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add tomato puree and marjoram. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix bacon into sauce. Add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until meatballs are heated through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

For pasta:
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and marjoram, adding more oil to moisten, if desired. Divide spaghetti among bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve, passing additional cheese separately.

* PANKO BREAD CRUMBS * A lot of our readers have been asking about Panko bread crumbs.  You can find them in the Asian section of your local grocery store.  Kikkoman makes the kind that I have available to me in the tiny town I live in.  You could also use plain bread crumbs if Panko isn’t available at your grocery store.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

PICTURE WILL BE COMING SOON!!!

Makes about 1/4 Cup

4 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container.  Adjust the spices to suit your tastes.  I personally like a little more nutmeg & ginger.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 12.

CRUST

1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from10 whole crackers)

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese, very soft

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice***

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.

2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.

4. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).

5. Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

*** Check out our recipe for Pumpkin Pie Spice!

2 Bags Microwave Popcorn – popped with the old maids removed

Boil for 1 minute: 1 Cup Sugar

½ Cup Honey

½ Cup Karo Syrup

Take off the burner and add:

1 Cup Peanut Butter

1 tsp Vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, pour the peanut butter mixture over the popcorn.  Stir together so popcorn is evenly coated with the peanut butter mixture.

Enjoy!

Makes 18 servings

1 bag (12 oz) White Chocolate Chips

1/3 Cup Butter or Margarine

2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

2 cans (12oz each) Apricot Dessert Filling

1 Can Sweetened Coconut Flakes

Additional sweetened coconut flakes, optional

Confectioners sugar, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Grease metal or glass 9×13x2 inch baking pan.  In medium saucepan, melt white chocolate chips and butter together over low heat until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs and pecans.  Let cook 5 minutes.
2. Divide warm mixture in half and press half into bottom of prepared pan to form a crust. Bake crust for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and spread apricot filling evenly over crust.  Combine coconut flakes with remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle evenly over top of apricot filling.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden brown.  Cool completely on cooling rack before cutting.  Sprinkle with additional coconut and/or confectioners sugar, if desired.
4. Cut into squares and enjoy!